Daily Archives: 13. June 2018

Liverpool transfer target Timo Werner is Bayern Munich’s favoured choice to replace Robert Lewandowski, should the Poland international be sold. Former Bayern technical director Michael Reschke first made contact with Werner in 2014 when he was a teenager at Stuttgart but his agent was concerned a move to the Allianz Arena was too soon in his career. Lewandowski declared last month, via his agent, he wants to leave Bayern. (Sport Bild)

Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno has agreed to join Arsenal after turning down a move to Napoli. Leno, 26, will be sold for a fee around €25m with an announcement on his future “imminent” as Arsenal are keen to finalise the transfer quickly. Leno told Leverkusen he wanted to leave the club in April with the Bundesliga side signing Lukas Hradecky, 28, on a free transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt as his replacement. (Sport Bild)

Borussia Dortmund are keen on signing Rennes forward Ismaila Sarr but will have to break their transfer record to land the Senegal international. New BVB coach Lucien Favre has personally identified Sarr, 20, as a potential transfer target but Rennes value the striker at €30m. Dortmund are hoping their good relations with the Ligue 1 club, having signed Ousmane Dembele in 2016, will help smooth negotiations. (Sport Bild)

SPAIN

Real Madrid first made contact with Julen Lopetegui last Wednesday following their failure to appoint Mauricio Pochettino. Spurs chairman Daniel Levy insisted that even €100m wouldn’t be enough for the European champions to take his manager which meant Florentino Perez switched focus. Perez was keen to avoid lengthy negotiations with any clubs and Lopetegui’s name was suggested by general director Jose Angel Sanchez. (Marca)

Gareth Bale’s future at Real Madrid looks even more uncertain following the appointment of Lopetegui. Deciding the future of the Welshman is one of the incoming coach’s first major jobs but his close relationship with Spain playmaker Isco means he may view Bale as disposable. A report claims, “Isco is to Lopetegui, what Benzema was to Zidane”. (AS)

Barcelona are close to finalising the sale of midfielder and Everton transfer target Andre Gomes to an unnamed club for around €30m. Gomes, 24, has struggled at the Camp Nou since arriving from Valencia in 2016 but has been linked with moves to a number of Premier League and Serie A clubs, plus Monaco. Barca could be using the Portugal international as a makeweight in deals for Juventus midfielder Miralem Pjanic or Manchester United transfer target Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. (Mundo Deportivo)

Borussia Dortmund are interested in signing Barcelona centre-back Yerry Mina having missed out on the Colombian when he joined the Catalan club in January. Barca signed Mina, 23, for €11.8m from Palmeiras despite Dortmund’s attempts to gazump them with a €25m offer. However, Mina has found playing time hard to come by in Spain and with the arrival of Clement Lenglet from Sevilla will be pushed further down the pecking order. (Mundo Deportivo)

ITALY

AC Milan are in the market for Arsenal transfer target Gelson Martins, with the winger one of six players to request a contract termination at Sporting Lisbon. Martins, 23, scored 12 goals with 13 assists last season and the Rossoneri would like open negotiations quickly as they fear more Premier League clubs will try to sign the Portugal international. (Corriere dello Sport)

Inter Milan want to sign Radja Nainggolan from Roma and have made an offer of €22m plus a youth-team player of their choice. Nerazzurri coach Luciano Spalletti is a huge fan of the all-action Belgium midfielder, who missed on a spot at the World Cup, and wants to make him his fourth summer signing. Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio has already held talks in Milan with Nainggolan’s agent. (Gazzetta dello Sport)

Juventus have agreed deals to sign Russian international midfielder Aleksandr Golovin and Portugal full-back Joao Cancelo. The Bianconeri will pay CSKA Moscow €20m for Golovin, 22, having first opened negotiations six months ago and have beaten a number of top European clubs to his signature with Arsenal, Chelsea and Monaco also linked. Cancelo, 22, will arrive on a season-long loan from Valencia ahead of a €35m permanent switch next summer. (Tuttosport)

FRANCE

Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal enquired about signing Thomas Lemar this summer but the Monaco winger will join Atletico Madrid for a fee that could rise to €72m. While Liverpool and Arsenal failed to follow up their interest with a concrete offer, Chelsea asked Monaco to wait until their managerial situation was resolved but Lemar wanted his future resolved before the World Cup. (L’Equipe)

Bordeaux and Anderlecht are interested in signing Manchester City forward Thierry Ambrose. France forward Ambrose, 21, is yet to make a first-team appearances for City having joined from Auxerre in 2015. He enjoyed an encouraging spell on loan at NAC Breda last season, scoring 10 goals in 31 Eredivisie games. (L’Equipe)

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, has approved the independent audit of detention cells in all police commands including those of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

The approval is coming on the back of a request by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to gain access to cells in all police commands and formations in Nigeria in order to “oversee human rights situation of detainees”.

Allegations of human rights abuse have been levelled against SARS operatives and policemen generally.

Currently, there is an ongoing campaign on social media to scrap the police outfit.

NOTICE:
The Inspector-General of @PoliceNG has approved the request of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to commence an independent audit of detention cells in all police commands and formations in Nigeria including those of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

2/ These visits will enable the NHRC oversee the human rights situation of detainees as well as undertake general audit of the state of @PoliceNG detention facilities (cells) in the country. This exercise is part of the NHRC 2018 audit of police detention centers in Nigeria.

But a statement by the Head of Public Complaints Rapid Response Unit, PCRRU, ACP Shogunle said the visits to the detention cells will help address the human rights situation of detainees.

“The Inspector-General of @PoliceNG has approved the request of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to commence an independent audit of detention cells in all police commands and formations in Nigeria including those of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS),” the statement read.

“These visits will enable the NHRC oversee the human rights situation of detainees as well as undertake general audit of the state of @PoliceNG detention facilities (cells) in the country.

“This exercise is part of the NHRC 2018 audit of police detention centers in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, announced that FEC had approved the payment of N500 million to the lawyers that worked for the government to reach a settlement of N330 billion with Communication giant, MTN Nigeria Limited.

Mr Malami also announced that $320 million had been repatriated back to the country after Mr Buhari reached an agreement with the government of Switzerland during a trip to Washington DC last December.

Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, a former governor of Ondo State, has sent his letter of resignation to the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state as he has concluded arrangement to go back to his former party, the Labour Party (LP).

In a letter addressed to the state leadership of the PDP on Wednesday, Mimiko said his decision to leave the party was due to personal reasons.

The letter read in part, ”I hereby with utmost humility inform you of my decision to resign my membership of the PDP with effect from today, June 13, 2018, for some well-thought-out personal reasons.

”It was an honour working with the many prominent Nigerians with whom I shared the PDP platform for the entire period I was in there as a member.

“Accept please the assurance of my very high regards.”

It was learnt that Mimiko would be joining the Labour Party he left in 2014, today in his hometown, Ondo, but without many of his aides who have remained in the PDP.

Meanwhile, the organised labour under the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the LP on Wednesday said they will reject attempt by Mimiko to return to the Labour Party.

Speaking with pressmen at Labour House, Abuja, the National Chairman of Labour Party, Dr Mike Omotosho explained that given the former governor’s political antecedents, there would be no room to accommodate Mimiko in the party.

He said: “It has come to our knowledge the moves by the immediate past Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko to return to the Labour Party. Nigerian workers wish to put a disclaimer to this ill-fated adventure.

“The Nigerian Labour Congress is fully aware of plans by Mimiko to destabilise the current gains made by workers to reclaim and reposition the party. It is very obvious that the sole purpose of Mimiko’s re-approach to the Labour Party is to use the workers’ party to launder his sagging political image.”

Omotosho stressed that “Nigerians would recall that Mimiko abandoned the Labour Party for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) a few days to Labour Party’s October 2015 National Convention.

“Such a treachery and betrayal of a party that gave the former Governor succour in the darkest hour of his political career especially as manifest in his two term victory on the ticket of the party is to say the least, cheap and callous.

“It also revealed paucity of knowledge of the philosophy of the Labour Party as a people’s rooted party and dearth of class consciousness on his part.

“While the leadership of NLC contnues to work to rebuild the Labour Party especially through the instrumentality of our political commission, we urge all workers and indeed genuine lovers of popular democracy to ignore the political theatrics of people like the former Governor of Ondo State.”

Massimiliano Allegri has claimed that he rejected the chance to join Real Madrid this summer following the departure of Zinedine Zidane and decided to remain at Italian Champions Juventus

Massimiliano Allegri has been linked with a host of managerial positions this summer, ranging from Arsenal and Chelsea in the Premier league to lucrative offers outside of Europe.

The 50-year-old even emerged as one of the leading candidates to take over at the Santiago Bernabéu ahead of the new season.

Real Madrid havepresident Florentino Pérez personally contacted the Italian head coach after Zidane announced he would be leaving the club this summer, but Allegri rebuffed Madrid’s approach, insisting that his future remained at Juventus.

Massimiliano Allegri has claimed that he rejected the chance to join Real Madrid this summer following the departure of Zinedine Zidane and decided to remain at Italian Champions Juventus

Massimiliano Allegri has been linked with a host of managerial positions this summer, ranging from Arsenal and Chelsea in the Premier league to lucrative offers outside of Europe.

The 50-year-old even emerged as one of the leading candidates to take over at the Santiago Bernabéu ahead of the new season.

Real Madrid havepresident Florentino Pérez personally contacted the Italian head coach after Zidane announced he would be leaving the club this summer, but Allegri rebuffed Madrid’s approach, insisting that his future remained at Juventus.

Germany legendary goalkeeper Oliver Kahn has revealed that he would start Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen ahead of Manuel Neuer in Die Mannschaft’s opening World Cup game against Mexico on Sunday.

Joachim Löw has been handed a selection headache following Manuel Neuer’s return to fitness.

The Bayern Munich goalkeeper hasn’t played a competitive game since September, when he suffered a metatarsal fracture, but was included in Germany’s 23-man World Cup squad, and featured heavily in recent friendlies to Austria and Saudi Arabia.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen, on the other hand, was an ever-present figure for La Liga champions Barcelona last season, starting 37 of their 38 league games. He was also Germany’s starting goalkeeper in Neuer’s absence.

Germany’s team manager Oliver Bierhoff revealed in late May, however, that Neuer would be the world champions’ number one in Russia.

Oliver Kahn, who made 86 appearances for Germany between 1995 and 2006, has insisted on a different option

He told Gazzeta dello Sport, via elPeriodico: “If I were the coach of Germany, I would definitely start ter Stegen. He is at the peak of his career. For now, he is the best in the world.”

Germany legendary goalkeeper Oliver Kahn has revealed that he would start Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen ahead of Manuel Neuer in Die Mannschaft’s opening World Cup game against Mexico on Sunday.

Joachim Löw has been handed a selection headache following Manuel Neuer’s return to fitness.

The Bayern Munich goalkeeper hasn’t played a competitive game since September, when he suffered a metatarsal fracture, but was included in Germany’s 23-man World Cup squad, and featured heavily in recent friendlies to Austria and Saudi Arabia.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen, on the other hand, was an ever-present figure for La Liga champions Barcelona last season, starting 37 of their 38 league games. He was also Germany’s starting goalkeeper in Neuer’s absence.

Germany’s team manager Oliver Bierhoff revealed in late May, however, that Neuer would be the world champions’ number one in Russia.

Oliver Kahn, who made 86 appearances for Germany between 1995 and 2006, has insisted on a different option

He told Gazzeta dello Sport, via elPeriodico: “If I were the coach of Germany, I would definitely start ter Stegen. He is at the peak of his career. For now, he is the best in the world.”

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday confirmed he will run for re-election as head of soccer’s global governing body.

Speaking at the FIFA Congress in Moscow on the eve of the World Cup, the Swiss-Italian said he would present his candidacy for elections taking place in Paris in June 2019.

Infantino was elected to the post in February 2016

“I want another four years of it because I believe in what I do,” Infantino said after the congress. “I believe in what I can do for FIFA and for football.”

Infantino said his tenure had seen a significant improvement in the organisation’s finances.

“I feel as well a lot of support from many around the world who want to see a strong FIFA, who want to see a FIFA who is present, a FIFA who is helping to address their issues about football development,” he added.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday confirmed he will run for re-election as head of soccer’s global governing body.

Speaking at the FIFA Congress in Moscow on the eve of the World Cup, the Swiss-Italian said he would present his candidacy for elections taking place in Paris in June 2019.

Infantino was elected to the post in February 2016

“I want another four years of it because I believe in what I do,” Infantino said after the congress. “I believe in what I can do for FIFA and for football.”

Infantino said his tenure had seen a significant improvement in the organisation’s finances.

“I feel as well a lot of support from many around the world who want to see a strong FIFA, who want to see a FIFA who is present, a FIFA who is helping to address their issues about football development,” he added.

The North American bid of the United States, Canada and Mexico will host the 2026 World Cup finals after winning the FIFA vote ahead of Morocco on Wednesday in Moscow.

The joint bid had been the front-runner for the 48-team tournament from the moment a North American coalition was first mooted two years ago, and there have been spells when it has looked like the only credible candidate.

But Morocco, bidding for a fifth time, had closed the gap on ‘United 2026’ to the point that nobody in Moscow wanted to make a public prediction ahead of the vote at the FIFA Congress, where 207 member associations, minus the four bidding nations, cast ballots.

210 members were present with 203 members entitled to vote. The US, Mexico and Canada received 134 votes (67 percent) with the Morocco bid earning 65 votes.

“It’s a bit emotional for us today,” US Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro told FIFA congress.

“Thank you so, so very much for this incredible honour. Thank you for entrusting us with the privilege of hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2026.

“The beautiful game transcends borders and cultures. Football today is the only victor. And in that spirit we wish all Russian hosts and all the teams competing here the very best of luck.”

FIFA offered a glowing technical assessment of the United bid – but subjective factors could have influenced votes. After controversy surrounded the awarding of the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 finals in Qatar, the vote was the first to be decided by the FIFA congress.

Chief among those is US President Donald Trump, whose ‘America First’ approach might score well with his electoral base but may have made the United bid’s task harder than it could ever have imagined.

The United bid will, however, be of huge appeal to the FIFA bean-counters as the bid team claims the ability to generate a projected profit of more than £8 billion for the governing body.

Morocco has largely avoided competing with the North Americans in a dash for cash.

To do so would have invited ridicule when it needed to build or renovate the 14 stadiums it wants to use – a task FIFA’s technical report said “cannot be overstated”.

So Morocco concentrated its pitch on the country’s undisputed passion for football, the notion that Africa deserves another World Cup after South Africa 2010, its far more compact offering and Euro-friendly time zone.

Both bids made their final appeals to UEFA voters in Moscow on Tuesday, with Morocco and United expected to get a vast show of support from their respective confederations.

Just to add to the complexity, there was a third option for all voters: neither Morocco or United and we would have had to start a new bidding process.

The North American bid of the United States, Canada and Mexico will host the 2026 World Cup finals after winning the FIFA vote ahead of Morocco on Wednesday in Moscow.

The joint bid had been the front-runner for the 48-team tournament from the moment a North American coalition was first mooted two years ago, and there have been spells when it has looked like the only credible candidate.

But Morocco, bidding for a fifth time, had closed the gap on ‘United 2026’ to the point that nobody in Moscow wanted to make a public prediction ahead of the vote at the FIFA Congress, where 207 member associations, minus the four bidding nations, cast ballots.

210 members were present with 203 members entitled to vote. The US, Mexico and Canada received 134 votes (67 percent) with the Morocco bid earning 65 votes.

“It’s a bit emotional for us today,” US Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro told FIFA congress.

“Thank you so, so very much for this incredible honour. Thank you for entrusting us with the privilege of hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2026.

“The beautiful game transcends borders and cultures. Football today is the only victor. And in that spirit we wish all Russian hosts and all the teams competing here the very best of luck.”

FIFA offered a glowing technical assessment of the United bid – but subjective factors could have influenced votes. After controversy surrounded the awarding of the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 finals in Qatar, the vote was the first to be decided by the FIFA congress.

Chief among those is US President Donald Trump, whose ‘America First’ approach might score well with his electoral base but may have made the United bid’s task harder than it could ever have imagined.

The United bid will, however, be of huge appeal to the FIFA bean-counters as the bid team claims the ability to generate a projected profit of more than £8 billion for the governing body.

Morocco has largely avoided competing with the North Americans in a dash for cash.

To do so would have invited ridicule when it needed to build or renovate the 14 stadiums it wants to use – a task FIFA’s technical report said “cannot be overstated”.

So Morocco concentrated its pitch on the country’s undisputed passion for football, the notion that Africa deserves another World Cup after South Africa 2010, its far more compact offering and Euro-friendly time zone.

Both bids made their final appeals to UEFA voters in Moscow on Tuesday, with Morocco and United expected to get a vast show of support from their respective confederations.

Just to add to the complexity, there was a third option for all voters: neither Morocco or United and we would have had to start a new bidding process.

Real Madrid believe they can finally land David de Gea for £100m.
Fiorentina have reportedly slapped a £62m price tag on midfielder Federico Chiesa.
Jorginho is becoming increasingly desperate to seal his move to Manchester City as the protracted deal drags on.

LIVERPOOL ECHO
Divock Origi admits there is much room for improvement in his game – and has hinted Liverpool remains the best place for his development.
Kevin Mirallas is set for talks over his Everton future.

BIRMINGHAM MAIL
Former Birmingham City winger David Cotterill could be back in the Championship next season. The ex-Wales international is claimed to being considered as an option by Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers and former club Swansea City.
Birmingham City defender Cheick Keita is attracting interest from clubs in Italy and Spain.
West Brom could be set to lose Craig Dawson and Jay Rodriguez in a £25m raid from Burnley.
Jack Wilshere could still be an option for Wolves with reports claiming his Arsenal future remains uncertain.

EXPRESS & STAR
The EFL have confirmed they are in discussions with Aston Villa concerning the club’s cash crisis.
Wolves have announced their new sponsor as global online gaming firm W88 which is the biggest deal in the club’s history.

NEWCASTLE CHRONICLE
Rafa Benitez is firmly focused on the job in hand at Newcastle United – despite fresh links to the Spanish national job.
Meanwhile, Benitez is believed to have told his Newcastle United board he has no interest in selling any of last season’s star men.
Ayoze Perez has shrugged off talk about him leaving Newcastle United this summer.
Newcastle United have joined the queue to sign Roque Mesa this summer, according to reports in Seville.
Ross County right-back Jason Naismith will not be moving to Sunderland after joining League One rivals Peterborough United.

STOKE SENTINEL
Stoke City are now in a position to seriously consider offers for existing forwards Peter Crouch, Mame Diouf and Max Choupo-Moting after Gary Rowett began reshaping the club’s strike force by completing the acquisition of Benik Afobe.
Former Stoke City midfielder Steven Nzonzi has issued a “come and get me” plea to Europe’s “big teams”.
Oghenekaro Etebo turned down Premier League interest to buy into Gary Rowett’s project at Stoke City.

HULL DAILY MAIL
Newcastle United are reportedly considering a move for West Bromwich Albion forward Salomon Rondon this summer.

LEICESTER MERCURY
Aleksandar Dragovic is wanted by the Leicester City supporters, but the club face fierce competition to snap up the Austria defender. West Ham United, Everton and Brighton and Hove Albion are all monitoring the situation and have expressed an interest in signing the 27-year-old.
Tottenham Hotspur are set to join the race for Leicester City target James Maddison.
Leicester City’s Ahmed Musa is set for a move to Turkey with Galatasaray.

NOTTINGHAM POST
Nottingham Forest are working to bring Alan Hutton back to the City Ground – but this time on a permanent basis.
Forest are understood to be monitoring sought after Luton defender Dan Potts.

DERBY TELEGRAPH
West Bromwich Albion are the latest club to be linked with a move for Derby County striker Matej Vydra.
However, Derby would not consider selling Vydra for “around £7m”.

YORKSHIRE POST
Bradford City have reportedly had a bid rejected for highly-rated Grimsby Town forward Siriki Dembele.
Benfica striker Joao Amaral is a summer target for Sheffield Wednesday, according to reports in Portugal.

LANCASHIRE TELEGRAPH
Burnley have launched a bid to make West Bromwich Albion duo Craig Dawson and Jay Rodriguez their first signings of the summer.

WEST LONDON SPORT
Fulham are in talks with Swansea City over a potential deal to sign Jordan Ayew and also want Arsenal defender Calum Chambers.

THE ARGUS
Brighton could sign two new goalkeepers as back-up for undisputed No.1 Mathew Ryan with Tim Krul and Niki Maenpaa both likely to leave the Seagulls.

There are strong indications that the government of the United Kingdom might soon be considering to revoke the visas of Nigerians perceived to have plundered the nation’s treasury.

This indication was contained in a statement issued by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel (SPIP) on Wednesday.

It was gathered that the chairman of the panel, Okoi Obono-Obla, disclosed this while briefing President Muhammadu Buhari on activities of the panel.

The spokesperson of the SPIP, Lucie-Ann Laha, who made this known in a statement, quoted Mr Obono-Obla as telling the president that the panel had also recovered N533 million and land worth N1.5 billion, all from the “previous management” of NEXIM Bank.

He said the recovered funds and property had since been returned to the bank.

Laha also said the SPIP was partnering with the UK’s home secretary to ensure that some public officers “perceived to have looted public funds and illegally acquired assets both in Nigeria and the UK’’ were prevented from entering that country.

Bear in mind that in May, the US revoked the visa of Raymond Dokpesi, founder of DAAR Communications and a senior member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The media mogul said he was informed that the action was taken because of the appearance of his name on the “looters list” released by the federal government.

But Obono-Obla said: “The panel has also compiled a list of over 200 past and serving public officers perceived to have illegally enriched themselves at the expense of the nation and the Nigerian people, among others.”

The SPIP chairman equally told Buhari that the panel was beaming its searchlight on several companies for a wide range of alleged offences.

Some of the companies, he said, are Celtel, for alleged tax evasion since 2005; Western Oil and Gas, for illegally drilling crude oil in Delta, and seven others for alleged failure to pay royalties to the Federal Government in about 10 years.

He said some multinational oil companies based in Egi Kingdom, Rivers, were also being investigated for allegedly conniving with unscrupulous individuals to dodge their obligations to the community to the tune of N38 billion and $30 million.

“Also under investigation by the panel is another company, which has failed to to fulfill its contractual agreement to dredge the Calabar Channel, years after receiving $12 million.

“The panel has also compiled a list of over 200 past and serving public officers perceived to have illegally enriched themselves at the expense of the nation and the Nigerian people, among others,” Obono-Obla said in the briefing.

Mr Buhari, according to the SPIP spokesperson, assured the panel of his continued support and non-interference in line with his administration’s stance on the anti-corruption fight.

Mr Obono-Obla said the panel would remain committed to its mandate, in addition to complementing the Federal Government’s fight against corruption.

He solicited the continued support of Nigerians to the panel with useful information that would lead to the recovery of looted public assets.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the panel was inaugurated by the then Acting President Yemi Osinbajo in August, 2017.

The Health Workers under the aegis of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) have appealed to the Federal Government to pay its members April and May, 2018 salaries in line with their agreement to suspend their strike.

The disclosure was made by Mr Achimugu Isaiah, the branch Chairman, Federal Medical Centre (FMC Keffi), Nasarawa State, on Wednesday while fielding questions from the News Agency of Nigeria shortly after a congress meeting of the union in Keffi.

NAN recalls that JOHESU embarked on an indefinite nationwide industrial action on April 18 and resumed work on May 31.

Some of the demands made by the union included upward adjustment of salary scale, employment of additional health professionals, review of retirement age from 60 years to 65 years and implementation of court judgment.

JOHESU consists of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Medical and Health Workers Union (MHWUN) and Senior Staff Association of University Teaching Hospitals, among others.

Isaiah said that payment of two months salaries to the members of the union who embarked on strike to press home their demands would cushion their economic plight.

He added it would also boost members’ morale toward effective healthcare service delivery.

The union leader queried the selective nature of paying few members against the majority. “The strike was declared by the national body and the local chapter here only obeyed the directive of the national secretariat.

“Actually, we only called members of the union to brief them on the outcome of our meeting with the management of the centre after the suspension of the JOHESU strike by the national body of the union.

“After the suspension of the strike, we have been meeting with our management on the need for payment of April and May salaries to our members but the management told us that those that were paid are those that worked during the strike.

“Such beneficiaries like the management staff, drivers and their personal assistants, among others, were paid based on directive from the federal government.

“They said that anything that was done was based on directive and they can only take our message on the payment of our April/May salaries to the federal government for action.

“It is in view of this that we are pleading with the federal government to consider our presentation, the plight of workers by paying us our April/May salaries in the interest of peace,” he said.

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has reportedly sacked two board chairmen with immediate effect.

The sacked duo, according to The Punch, are the Chairmen of the State Teaching Service Commission, Chief Gabriel Falayi and that of the Governing Council of the College of Education, Ikere Ekiti, Prof. Babajide Alo.

June 12, The Mandate, By Wole Soyinka

(As prepared for the formal recognition of June 12, 1993, and conferment of national honours on stalwarts of that struggle).

The annulment of the presidential election of June 12, 1993 was a negative watershed in Nigerian history. It opened the floodgates of distrust, the consequences of which, sometimes in directions that are still in denial, have remained to plague the nation. There is much to remember, and some of this with a measure of satisfaction, even a sense of fulfillment. For many however, much of the memory is unbearable. A number still resort to desperate measures to cauterise the trauma of the consequent season of unprecedented inhumanity, occasioned by sheer lust for unchallenged power and total domination of the national environment. These are individuals who walk among us, with scars of horrendous torture, others whose lives remain permanently disrupted, and yet several more who have been pauperised beyond recovery. Some can never eradicate the ordeal of being compelled to witness the torture and dehumanisation of their relations, forced to watch, in order to force them to incriminate themselves or others, confess to deeds, and/or sympathies to which they were complete strangers. Yet even these victims, direct victims, or sufferers from collateral wounds, may have succeeded in overcoming their ordeal, if only a concerted gesture of recognition, of restitution and vindication of their roles had been offered, a symbolic act towards potential closure, such as brings us together this day, June 12, 2018, a quarter of a century later. It should never have waited this long. It required only a simple capacity for empathy, an act of moral courage, and a sense of belonging to that gamut of humanity from whom sacrifice is often extracted with or without their consent.

That simple gesture, repeatedly advocated by millions, was denied. The burden of arrogance and vaunting self-centredness sat heavily on the shoulders of the beneficiaries of a collective struggle. They harvested, but could not bear to share, or render dues. Or simply lacked the imagination, and were devoid of a sense of honour. They lacked an understanding of history, and trivialised the emotions of fellow humanity. Some could not even bear to name the symbol of that struggle for the restoration of civil dignity that is at the very basis of ordered social existence. That social actuality, the massed will of the people, is the ultimate voice of authority. Civil society must therefore hold itself also culpable, numerous times, for laxity in its exertion. Here follows a simple instance that is not beyond recall of most of us here.

The demand for national recognition of Moshood Abiola was at its most intense during the tenure of the primary beneficiary of Abiola’s sacrifice, one to whom the very name of that political martyr was anathema. I refer to the hosting of the All-Africa Games, COJA, for which I was then cultural consultant for the opening ceremonies. In his lifetime, Moshood Abiola, a man of many parts, many interests, and multiple personifications, was recognised across the continent and outside for his passion, his moral and material generosity to the sporting arena. Such was the magnitude of his contribution that he was conferred with the title of African Pillar of Sports by the Africa Union.

A stadium was under construction in preparation for the games and it was confidently expected, indeed loudly demanded that that stadium should bear his name. Indeed, many assumed that this so obvious, so painless, so inexpensive tribute would be paid him by his own nation. The COJA Games came, and went. I urged the media – you may check the archives – to ignore that president and simply continue to refer to the stadium as the Moshood Abiola Stadium. Keep at it, I exhorted, and it will not matter in the least whether or not the occupant of Aso Rock concedes the posthumous honour so overwhelmingly deserved. The people’s voice remains the ultimate decider, irrespective of the voice of power, petulance and pettiness. Today, I repeat that demand and urge it on this government. History is archived not only by the written word or oral narratives, but by a landscape that is strewn with the precipitates of human attainment.

The media failed to take the bait. Society wearied and moved on. Instead, one of the major avenues of this very capital of the nation still bears the name of that ruler who is near uniformly execrated across the nation and vilified across the world. And I assert this despite recent affirmations of loyalty to that dictator from his erstwhile colleagues. Mr. President, let me state this directly: Loyalty is a virtue, but it also can prove perverse. No matter, today, the plunge is being taken. Belated, yes. With an eye on electoral fortunes, undoubtedly. And somewhat diminished by a number of unsatisfactory details, some trivial, some significant, some debatable, others simply untenable – what matters is that a long evaded step towards the summit of closure has been taken.

One sour note, even today, deserves special attention, since it goes to the heart of this depressing career of denial. How did that word “presumed” as in the expression “presumed winner” of an election, creep into the official communique? That seeming trivia goes beyond semantics. I was on my way to Brazil when pressure for my presence here today commenced and became overpowering by its very logicality. I did not do an about turn, aborting a prior engagement, in order to participate in a ritual of presumptions. That insertion is what we must deem “presumptuous”, even contemptuous of reality. Moshood Kashimawo Abiola was, and remains the acclaimed, not presumed, winner of the Nigerian June 12, 1993 democratic elections, an event that manifested the collective and disciplined will of the Nigerian people in a most unambiguous manner.

Let me testify that I was actually in Europe, at a conference, at the same time as the then secretary-general of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku. We shared the same hotel. As the results were being formally collated, posted and released, he continued to share them with me. There was no ambiguity about who was headed for outright victory – and so it proved!

Despite the last-minute efforts to terminate the process, the voting proceeded and was concluded. A clear winner emerged, without presumption or contestation. Even his opponent openly conceded defeat – that is, until he was pressured to backtrack and challenge those results by those whose interests lay outside any known democratic impulsion. I call on the media to ensure that that word “presumed” is blotted out permanently, in any existing and future dispatches. I therefore echo the call of legislators to have those results fully published, so as to lay the ghost of that presumptive qualifier. Dictators are free to annul the succession of day and night, the succession of drought and rains, but no mortal power, either in this world or in any other human habitation, can annul the truth of that election.

It was that truth that nerved Moshood Abiola to emerge and re-present himself to the people in the famous declaration of Epetedo, saying: My name is Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, and I am here to reclaim my mandate. Today, that mandate conferred upon Abiola is being reclaimed on his behalf. Whatever the motivation, the credit is undeniably yours.

What matters for this nation is that after the inertia and avoidance of nearly two decades and a half, justice begins to find place in the agenda of governance. A principled step has been taken towards closure. In finding the courage to assume the mantle of redress, let it not matter to you in the least whether or not such a gesture translates into votes. In any case, you will never find out with any degree of certainty – only in the presumptions of pundits. What will go down in memory and history is that you finally confronted a political entitlement, long evaded, treasonably annulled and imprudently postponed, confronted the spectre of negative memory, and offered the nation a glimpse of the potential of healing. The rest lies in the unpredictable future.

It only remains to me to pay tribute to hundreds of other protagonists of human liberty and the right of political volition. Only a few weeks ago, we celebrated the memory of one of the most consistent of such warriors – Gani Fawehinmi, senior advocate of the masses – also befittingly honoured today. And two weeks ago, we gathered at the graveside of Kudirat Abiola on the anniversary of her brutal murder. And there was Musa Yar’Adua, who mobilised resistance from within a legislature that appeared cowed, submissive and compromised. They read Sanni Abacha the riot act, sent him an ultimatum. Yar’Adua was unquestionably murdered in prison for his dare. And there were assassinations with a dictator’s blooded palm prints all over the corpses – Alfred Rewane, Felix Ibru, Onaguruwa (a case of mistaken identity) and so on and on. Nor must we ever forget the hundreds of others, many of them unsung, even nameless.

For special mention however, I cannot avoid recalling, with pride and nostalgia, our late Comrade Ola Oni, who is very rarely evoked these days. Yet it was he who mobilised others and led the massed resistance in Ibadan – the epicentre, some may recall – being the propitiously named Liberty Stadium, where he and a sparse but dedicated gathering, after an all-night convergence, moved out at dawn to stall the roller-coaster of a manic ruler in its tracks, thus stemming the spreading tide of civic surrender. Let those highlights remain in our memories, such as that routing of a would-be life dictator on a campaign to entrench himself in power through co-option of slavish surrogates. Let each and any one of our known resisters – Bagauda Kaltho, Chris Ubani, Beko Ransome-Kuti and all others – always serve as recollection prods in our minds for massed resistance in face of any massive state terror machine, however ruthless. These martyrs deserve a collective memorial, as a sign that the struggle for human freedom admits no statute of limitations. Reverses yes, often unavoidably – that is the nature of struggle – but abject surrender? The answer is pre-eminent in the words of one man who stood tall as he toured the streets of Lagos in an open vehicle, declaring:

“My name is Moshood Abiola. It is time to reclaim my mandate.”

Wole SOYINKA is the first Black Nobel Laureate in Literature.

The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of 360Nobs.com.

The former Spain and Real Madrid captain will be presented to the press at the Krasnodar Stadium later on Wednesday before settling in to his new role.

“Fernando Hierro will assume the position of national coach in the World Championship of Russia and will appear before the media accompanied by the president RFEF, Luis Rubiales,” a statement from the Spanish Football Federation read.

The 50-year-old Hierro’s only real coaching experience came when he was in charge of second division Spanish outfit Oviedo for one season.

It is understood that he was sensationally sacked after the country’s federation said he failed to tell them he had agreed to join Real Madrid after the tournament.

A statement released on Wednesday by the president of Spain’s football federation, Luis Rubiales, said, “We have to decided to fire the national coach.

“What we have achieved in getting here is due in great part to him, and we must thank him and wish him luck.

“The Spanish national team is the team of all the Spaniards. We only found out just five minutes before the announcement that he was leaving for Madrid. There is a way that you must act. Julen has worked in a great way with the team, but we cannot accept how he has acted in this case.”

After the announcement, Rubiales said Lopetegui’s replacement would be announced “soon”.

Rubiales stressed that the federation had found out about Lopetegui’s move five minutes before it was announced by the Champions League winners.

“The coach, while he is a RFEF employee cannot do things in this way. I found out with a phone call five minutes before the official announcement. We feel obliged to take this decision,” Rubiales told a news conference at the team base in Krasnodar.

“If anyone wants to talk to one of our employees, they have to speak to us, too. It’s that basic. This is a Spain national team that represents all Spaniards, it’s the most important team we have and the World Cup is the biggest stage of them all.

“I don’t feel betrayed, the problem is that things have been done with the complete absence of the RFEF, which is something (we) cannot let go by.”

Following the shock appointment of Julen Lopetegui as Real Madrid’s manager, the Spain head coach has been relieved of his duties with the national team.

The Spaniard was primed to take over at the Los Blancos following the conclusion of the World Cup.

However, the Spain Football Federation have moved to fire him on the eve of the world cup.

“We have decided to fire the national coach,” Spanish Football Federation president, Luis Rubiales, said. “What we have achieved in getting here is due in great part to him, and we must thank him and wish him luck.”

Rubiales insists he does not feel undermined, but has suggested that Real acted in a manner unbecoming of their status.

He added: “I don’t feel betrayed. Lopetegui has done impeccable work. How all this has been done is something else.

“I have spoken with the players and I can guarantee they will do everything, along with the new coach, to take the team as far as possible.

“Real Madrid look for the best coach, that is fine by me. I have no opinion about how Real Madrid act. But the federation have an obligation to represent all Spaniards.

“I found out [about the deal with Madrid] five minutes beforehand and asked for nothing to be done, that I was getting a plane and coming here.

“But, after five minutes, I saw it in the press and we had to react. We have a responsibility. I know there will be criticism but the values of the RFEF are set by the RFEF itself.

“To win is very important, to have the best coach is very important, but above everything is acting in the right way. Maybe this is tough now, but in the end it will make us stronger.”

Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have uncovered an illegal blood bank allegedly operated by a 45-year-old man, Paul Achegbulu, in Bariga, Lagos Mainland.

Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal led his men to arrest the suspect in his 18 Kusa Bus Stop, Bariga one-room apartment where he operated from.

According to police report, Achegbulu was arrested after he drew four pints of blood from a 17-year-old boy, Ayomide Adesanya, on Monday June 4 and Sunday June 10. He took two pints each on the two days.

The medical lab technician was said to have lured under aged kids. He paid them 2,000 naira each while he sold the blood for N7,000.

According to the PPRO Lagos, SP Chike Oti, the CP led operatives of the Command to the Bariga to see the blood bank and paid a visit to the victim at the hospital after the case got to the Command.

“The illegal blood bank was uncovered after the last victim was hospitalised. Adesanya became weak after donating four pints of blood, collapsed and is currently receiving treatment at the Bariga Hospital.

“The mother told us that the daughter’s friend informed them of Adesanya’s condition after she saw him on a bike looking like a corpse,” police disclosed.

The PPRO Lagos told newsmen that upon his arrest, the illegal blood vendor confessed to selling blood to a hospital here in Lagos for 7,000 naira.

But the suspect said he did not know Adesanya was underage, adding that the victim told him that he was 20.

“It was when his parents came to confront me that I knew he was 17. He told me he was 20. I am a lab scientist. I was trained five years ago at the Nigerian Institute of Laboratory Science Technology.

“Lab technicians from hospitals used to come and buy blood from me. I used to sell the blood through my assistant, Alfa. He’s the one who knows the hospitals he sold to. I do not know where he is at the moment,” the suspect said.

Condemning the action, a group, Child Protection Network (CPN) said bloods were collected with a cannula in a stuffy room, where the suspect lived with his nursing wife and their baby.

The group’s coordinator, Ebenezer Omejalile, decried the use of the blood by hospitals, noting that they were neither screened for HIV, Hepatitis or other communicable diseases.

“Adesanya is currently on blood transfusion at the hospital. He was moved to Somolu General Hospital by his parents and as of 5:00p.m. yesterday, he was receiving his second pint of blood. “We demand the investigation and arrest of all those who have been buying blood from Alfa. The suspect’s family has promised to go all out to seek justice in this case. The matter was first reported to FSARS men at Gbagada but they did nothing about it,” he said.

The 2026 FIFA World will be held in the United States of America, Mexico and Canada after their joint bid won the right to host the tournament, beating Morocco in Wednesday’s vote.

The “United Bid” was the favorite going into the vote given the infrastructure in place in all three countries. The ‘United 2026’ bid was selected by FIFA member nations, winning 134 votes compared to 65 votes for Morocco. The 2026 tournament will be the biggest World Cup ever held – with 48 teams playing 80 matches over 34 days.

This will be the first time three countries host the World Cup together and the first tournament in multiple countries since the 2002 World Cup that held in Japan and South Korea.

Africa’s starboy Wizkid after an eccentric performance at the just ended Ghana meets Naija throws down another startling performance at Kikibees restaurant in East Legon.

Not a stage performance this time but a simple calm dinner in Accra transformed into a one of a kind suprise party for the African music diva Tiwa Savage.

Between the food, the paintball shooting, table tennis, the turn up of other celebrities like Shatta Wale, Mugeez, King Promise, Pope Skinny, VVIP and others; the quiet night became a turn up for fans.